My thoughts on the Phillies season.

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The blasted losing streak reaches six games as the presently punchless Phils get swept by the Nats, 6-1. Yes, I’m angry, can’t you tell!!!

The Nats took the lead in the third as, with one man on, and with two men out, Ian Desmond hits an RBI double, which had dropped in between second baseman Chase Utley and right fielder John Bowker (someone please tell me again why Ruben Amaro decided to pick up this no-hit, no-field hack?!?), scoring Rick Ankiel, who had earlier doubled, then went to third on Brad Peacock’s ground out, 6-3, giving the Nats a 1-0 lead. The Nats then made it a 2-0 lead as Roger Bernadina hits an RBI single, knocking in Desmond. The Nats then busted the game wide open in the eighth as, with one man on, and with two men out, Bernadina hits an RBI double, knocking in Desmond, who had just singled, giving the Nats a 3-0 lead. Two batters later, after Ryan Zimmerman had walked, Michael Morse hits a three-run home run, his twenty-eighth home run of the year, knocking in both Bernadina and Zimmerman, giving the Nats a 6-0 lead. The Phils finally got on the scoreboard in the ninth as, with one man on, and with two men out, Carlos Ruiz hits an RBI single, knocking in John Mayberry, Jr. who had earlier doubled, making it a 6-1 Nats’ lead, before going on to second base on right fielder Bernadina’s throwing error. But that would be the final score as Todd Coffey would get Ben Francisco to pop out to the third baseman for the game’s final out.

Roy Oswalt (8-10, 3.86), took the lost as he went seven and two-thirds innings, giving up six runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four. Brad Lidge pitched a third of an inning, striking out the only man that he would face. Joe Savery pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Brad Peacock (2-0, 0.75) got the win as he pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up just a hit and two walks, while striking out two. Tom Gorzelanny got his third hold of the season as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up a hit and a walk. Ryan Mattheus received his seventh hold of the year as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, getting out both men that he would face. Tyler Clippard pitched a 1-2-3 inning. Doug Slaten pitched two-thirds of an inning, striking out a batter. Todd Coffey pitched a third of an inning, giving up a run on two hits.

The Phils had only four hits in the game, with Carlos Ruiz leading the team with three hits, all singles, as he knocked in a run. John Mayberry, Jr. had the other Phil hit, a double, as the offense seems to have flatlined since winning the division on Saturday. I don’t know about everybody else, but this is getting on my last nerve. The players may think that they can just turn on a switch, but I don’t buy it. Hot teams seem to win the title during the playoffs, and right now, THEY ARE NOT A HOT TEAM!!! Get it in gear, you idiots, or else you won’t even get through the divisional series!!!!

The Phils (98-58, 1st) will start a three games series with the Mets (74-82, 4th) beginning with a night game tonigh, weather permitting. The game will be played at Citi Field and will begin at 7:10 pm EDT. Cole Hamels (14-9, 2.80) will start for the Phils, as he is coming off a lost to the Cards on September 18, as he went seven innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, all on a pair of home runs, while striking out nine, in the Phils’ 5-0 lost. He will once again be trying for win no. 15, hoping that the offense will decide to finally play, and not start a slide of 0 for the rest of the regular season. He will be opposed by R.A. Dickey (8-13, 3,35), who is coming off a lost to the Braves on September 17, as he went seven and two-thirds innings, giving up a run on three hits and six walks, while striking out four, in the Mets’ 1-0 lost. He will be trying to keep the Phils’ offense muzzle with his knuckleball. The Phils will be trying to get their offense back on track, before things can get even worst.

The Phils lackluster offense continues as they lose their third game in a row, this time to the Nats, in extra-innings, 4-3.

The game starts out as a six innings pitchers’ duel between Phils’ starter Kyle Kendrick, who gives up just four hits, while striking out four, and Nats’ starter Tom Milone against the Phils C-team line-up, who also gave up only four hits, while striking out two. The Nats took the lead in the seventh as, with two men on, and with two men out, Roger Bernadina hits a three-run home run, his seventh home run on the season, scoring Alex Cora, who had earlier singled, then went to second base on Ian Desmond’s grounder, as Steve Lombardozzi, who had earlier singled, then stopped at third on Cora’s single, is tagged out at home plate, tw0-unassisted, for the inning’s second out, giving the Nats a 3-0 lead. The Phils would tie the game up at three-all in their half of the seventh as, with two men on, and with nobody out, pinch hitter Raul Ibanez hits a three-run home run, his twentieth home run of the year, knocking in Pete Orr and Michael Martinez, who had both singled, with Orr stopping at second base on Martinez’s single. The Nats retook the lead in the tenth as, with two men on, and with two men out, pinch hitter Ryan Zimmerman hits an RBI single, scoring Michael Morse, who had earlier walked, then moved up to second base on a Erik Kratz’s passed ball, giving the Nats a 4-3 lead, while sending Danny Espinosa, who had earlier been intentionally walked, on the third base, before moving up to second base on the late throw to the plate. That would be the final score as Drew Storen would collect his thirty-ninth save by pitching a scoreless tenth.

Kyle Kendrick received a no-decision, as he pitched six shutout innings, giving up four hits, while striking out four. Michael Schwimer pitched an inning, giving up three runs on three hits, while striking out two. Joe Savery made his major league debut as he pitched a third of an inning, giving up a hit. Brad Lidge pitched two-thirds of an inning, striking out a batter. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit, while striking out one. Michael Stutes (6-2, 3.86) took the lost as he pitched an inning, giving up a run on a hit and two walks. Tom Milone also received a no-decision, as he also pitched six shutout inning, giving up just four hits, while striking out two. Doug Slaton pitched to two batters, with both men reaching base, as he gave up two runs on two hits. Tyler Clippard committed his seven blown save of the year as he pitched an inning, giving up a run on two hits and a walk, while he struck out a batter. Sean Burnett pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk. Tom Gorzelanny (4-6, 4.09) got the win as he pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk. Drew Storen collected his thirty-ninth save of the season as he pitch a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk, while striking out one.

The Phils had ten hits in the ballgame, with John Mayberry, Jr. and Hunter Pence leading the team with two hits each, all singles. Wilson Valdez (Single), Erik Kratz (Double), Pete Orr (Single), Michael Martinez (Single), pinch hitter Raul Ibanez (Home Run, 3 RBIs) and pinch hitter Placido Polanco (Single), had the other six Phils’ hits, as the offense continue to struggle stringing together hits and scoring runs.

The Phils (98-55, 1st) will continue their doubleheader with the Nationals (73-79, 3rd), with a night game. The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park and will start at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Cliff Lee (16-7, 2.38), who is coming off a no-decision against the Marlins on September 15, as he went nine innings, giving up a run on five hits, while striking out twelve, in the Phils’ 2-1 extra-inning win. He will once again go for win no. seventeen, while trying to put a stop to the Phils’ present slide. The Nats plan to counter with Ross Detwiler (2-5, 4.42), who is coming off a no-decision against Mets on September 12, as he pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up two runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out two, in the Nats’ 3-2 win. He will be trying to give the Nats a sweep, while hoping the Phils don’t decide to wake up from their offensive sleepwalking and take it out on him. The Phils will be out to end their present offensive ineptitude.

The Phils lose the use of another starter because of another long rain delay before losing to the Nats in 10 innings, thanks to a walk-off bases loaded hit by the pitch, 5-4.

The Nats took the lead in the first as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, Ryan Zimmerman hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Ian Desmond, who had started off the game for the Nats with a double, then went to third on Rick Ankiel’s single, giving the Nats a 1-0 lead. The Nats then added to their lead as, with once again runners on the corners, as Ankiel would go to third on Michael Morse’s single, and now with two men out, Danny Espiniosa hits an RBI single, knocking in Ankiel, giving the Nats a 2-0 lead, while sending Morse up to second base. The Phils then tied the game up at two-all as, with one man on, and with nobody out, Carlos Ruiz hits a two-run home run, his fifth home run of the season, knocking in Raul Ibanez, who had earlier reached base on an infield single. The Phils took the lead in the third as, with one man out, Chase Utley hits a solo home run, his ninth home run of the year, giving the Phils a 3-2 lead. In the top of the sixth, the game would be delayed by rain for over an hour, causing both clubs to remove their starters, Roy Halladay for the Phils and Chien-Ming Wang for the Nats. In the bottom of the sixth, the Nats would tie the game up at three-all as Espinosa hits a lead-off home run, his eighteenth home run of the season. The Phils would retake the lead in the ninth as, with two men on, and with one man out, Michael Martinez hits an RBI single, knocking in Ibanez, who had earlier walked, then stopped at second base on Ruiz’s single, giving the Phils a 4-3 lead, while sending Ruiz, who had just singled, up to second base. The Nats would retie the game up at four-all in their half of the ninth as, with two men out, Desmond hits a solo home run, his fifth home run of the season. The Nats would win the game in the tenth as, with the bases loaded, via a Zimmerman double, an intentional walk of Morse, and a single by Jayson Werth, which moved both runners up a base, and with one man out, as Brad Lidge struck out, swinging, Espinosa, for the inning’s first out, Jonny Gomes, with a 1-0 count, is hit by the next pitch, forcing in Zimmerson, giving the Nats a 5-4 walk-off win.

Roy Halladay gets a no-decision, thanks to the hour plus rain delay, as he went five innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, as he struck out five. Michael Schwimer, making his major league debut, blew his first save opportunity of the year as he pitched three innings, giving up a run on two hits, while striking out four. Antonio Bastardo committed his first blown save of the season as he pitched an inning, giving up a run on a hit, as he struck out the side. Brad Lidge (0-1, 2.25) took the lost as he pitched a third of an inning, giving up a run on two hits, a walk and a hit batter, while he struck out one. Chien-Ming Weng also received a no-decision, thanks to the long rain delay, as he pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up three runs on five hits and a walk, while he struck out four. Tom Gorzelanny pitched a third of an inning, getting out the only man that he would face. Todd Coffey and Tyler Clippard would combine for two scoreless innings, giving up a hit (Clippard), while striking out one (Coffey) batter between them. Drew Storen pitched an inning, giving up a run on two hits and a walk, while striking out two. Sean Burnett (4-5, 4.63) gets the win as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter.

The Phils had eight hits in the ballgame, with Shane Victorino (Singles) and Carlos Ruiz (Single, Home Run, 2 RBIs) both leading the team with two hits each. Chase Utley (Home Run, RBI), Ryan Howard (Single), Raul Ibanez (Single) and Michael Martinez (Single, RBI), had the other four Phils’ hits.

The Phils (81-44, 1st) will start a three games series with the Mets (60-66, 4th), starting with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park, and will begin at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Cliff Lee (13-7, 2.82), who is coming off a win against the D-backs on August 17, as he went seven strong innings, giving up just two runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out seven, in the Phils’ 9-2 rout. He will be going for his fourth straight win, while hoping to give the bullpen a rest, after the way it was messed up thanks to the rains of the previous four days. The Mets will counter with Dillon Gee (11-4, 3.92), who is coming off a win against the Padres on August 17, as he went six and two-thirds innings, giving up a run on five hits and four walks, while striking out five, in the Mets’ 7-3 win. He will be trying to confound the Phils. The Phils will be out to take last weekend’s embarrassment out on the Mets.

Ryan Madson blows the save as he gives up a walk-off grand-slam home run to Ryan Zimmerman, as the Phils lose to the Nats, 8-4.

The Phils, after suffering through another long rain delay, took the lead in the third as, with one man on, and with one man out, John Mayberry, Jr. hits an RBI triple, knocking in Jimmy Rollins, who had earlier doubled, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. The Phils then took a 2-0 lead as Chase Utley knocked in Mayberry with an RBI double. The Phils then made it a 3-0 lead as Ryan Howard followed Utley with an RBI single, scoring Utley. Three batters later, after Hunter Pence had hit a single, moving Howard up to second base, and then a force out on a grounder hit by Raul Ibanez, that sent Howard to third base, while wiping out Pence at second base, the Phils took a 4-0 lead as Carlos Ruiz hits an RBI single, scoring Howard, while sending Ibanez up to second base. The Nats got a run back in their half of the third as, with one man on, and with two men out, Ian Desmond hits an RBI double, scoring Wilson Ramos, who had earlier singled, then moved up to second base on Livan Hernandez’s sacrifice bunt, cutting the Phils’ lead down to 4-1. The Nats cut the Phils’ lead down to 4-2 in the fifth as, with one man out, Ramos hits a solo home run, his tenth home run of the year. The Nats then erupted in the ninth as, with two men on, via singles by Jayson Werth and Danny Espinosa, with Werth stopping at second base on Espinosa’s single, and with nobody out, Jonny Gomes hits an RBI single, scoring Werth, making it a 4-3 Phils’ lead, while sending Espinosa up to second base. Three batters later, after Ramos’ sacrifice bunt, 1-2-4, moved both runners up a base, and then an intentional walk to pinch hitter Jesus Flores loaded up the bases, Desmond tied the game up at four-all as he hits an RBI single, scoring Espinosa, while sending Gomes up to third base, and Flores up to second base, reloading the bases. After striking out Rick Ankiel for the inning’s second out, Madson tried to get out Ryan Zimmerman, to send the game into extra-innings. Instead, Zimmerman, with the count full, hits a grand-slam home run, his ninth home run of the year, knocking in Gomes, Flores and Desmond, giving the Nats an 8-4 walk-off win.

Kyle Kendrick, who was suppose to be starting tonight’s game, but was made the Phils’ starter because of concerns about Roy Oswalt and his back, because of the long rain delay, got a no-decision as he went six innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk, while he struck out four. Brad Lidge recorded his third hold of the year as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Antonio Bastardo collected his fourteenth hold of the season as he also pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out one. Ryan Madson received his second blown save of the season, before he took the lost (3-2, 3.25), as he pitched only two-thirds of an inning, giving up six runs on five hits and a walk, striking out a batter. Livan Hernandez also received a no-decision, as he went four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks. Tom Gorzelanny and Sean Burnett combined for four scoreless innings, giving up a hit (Gorzelanny) and a walk (Burnett), while striking out four (two batters each) between them. Todd Coffey (4-1, 4.13) got the win as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

The Phils had eight hits in the game, with Carlos Ruiz leading the team with two hits, a single and a double, knocking in a run. Jimmy Rollins (Double), John Mayberry, Jr. (Triple, RBI), Chase Utley (Double, RBI), Ryan Howard (Single, RBI), Hunter Pence (Single) and Wilson Valdez (Single), had the other six Phils’ hits.

The Phils (80-43, 1st) will continue their series with the Nats (60-63, 4th) with a night game later tonight. The game will be played at Nationals Park and will start at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Roy Oswalt (5-7, 3.84), who was oiginally to be last night’s starter, before the long rain delay, who is coming off a win against the Nats on August 13, as he went seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out five, in the Phils’ 11-3 win. He will be out for his second straight win since coming off the DL, and to even up the series for the Phils. The Nats will try to counter with John Lannan (8-8, 3.55), who is coming off a lost against the Phils on August 13, as he went only three innings, giving up seven runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits and five walks, as he struck out just one batter, in the Nats’ 11-3 lost. He will be trying to give the Nats the series win. The Phils will be out to get payback for last night’s lost.

The Cubs torched Roy Halladay for six runs, before crushing the bullpen for five more in the seventh, as the Phils fall to the Cubs, 11-6.

The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the second as, with one man on, and with one man out, Geovany Soto hits a two-run home run, his eleventh home run of the year, knocking in Marlon Byrd, who was earlier hit by the pitch. Four batters later, with two men on, and with two men out, the Cubs increased their lead as Starlin Castro hits an RBI single, scoring Tom Gorzelanny, who had earlier singled, and had moved up to second base on Tyler Colvin’s single, giving the Cubs a 3-0 lead, while sending Colvin, who had just singled, on to third base. The Cubs would make it 4-0 as, with Derrek Lee batting, Castro stole second base. Catcher Carlos Ruiz committed a throwing error which would allow Colvin to score from third. The Phils tried to start a come back in the fifth as, with two men on, and with nobody out, Placido Polanco hits an RBI ground out, 6-3, scoring Roy Halladay, who had earlier walked, and then reached third on Shane Victorino’s double, making it a 4-1 Cubs’ lead, while sending Victorino, who had earlier double, to third base. One batter later, the Phils would cut the Cubs’ lead to 4-2 as Victorino would score on a Aramis Ramirez fielding error of a Jimmy Rollins grounder. The Cubs would get the two runs back in the sixth as, with one man on, and with one man out, Alfonso Soriano hits his seventeenth home run of the season, scoring Byrd, who was hit by the pitch for the second time in the game, giving the Cubs a 6-2 lead. The Phils got a run back in the seventh as, with two men on, and with one out, Ryan Howard hits a sacrifice fly, knocking in Polanco, who had earlier walked, and had gone to third on Rollins’ single, making it a 6-3 Cubs’ lead. The Cubs would then break the game wide open in their half of the seventh as, with the bases loaded, via singles to Jeff Baker and Colvin and then a sacrifice bunt by Castro, which would move Baker to third and Colvin to second, while Castro would be safe at first on David Herndon’s fielding error, and with nobody out, Lee hits a bases clearing double, scoring Baker, Colvin and Castro, giving the Cubs a 9-3 lead. Three batters later, with two men on, and with one man out, Soriano hits an RBI single, scoring Lee, giving the Cubs a 10-3 lead, while sending Byrd, who had just walked, on to second base. The Cubs then made it 11-3 as, with two men on, and with still one man out, Soto hits an RBI single, scoring Byrd, while Soriano was thrown out at third by an accurate throw by right fielder Ben Francisco for the inning’s second out. The Phils made it an 11-4 game as, with one out, pinch hitter Greg Dobbs hits a solo home run, his fourth home run of the year. In the ninth, Howard made it an 11-5 game with a lead-off home run, his fourth home run of the series and his twenty-first home run of the season. Two batters later, with one man out, Francisco made it an 11-6 game as he hits a solo home run of his own, his second home run of the season. But, it would be a case of too little, too late for the Phils, as James Russell got out the next two batters, getting Dobbs to strike out swinging to end the game.

Roy Halladay took the lost as he pitches six innings, giving up six runs, five of which were earned, on seven hits and two hit batters, while striking out three. His record is now 10-8 with a 2.40 ERA. J.C. Romero pitches to two batters, giving up two runs on two hits. David Herndon pitches an inning, giving up three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits and a walk, while striking out one. Danys Baez pitches a scoreless inning, giving up two hits, while striking out a batter. Tom Gorzelanny gets the win as he pitches six and two-thirds innings, giving up three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits and five walks, while striking out five. His record is now 5-5 with a 3.12 ERA. Andrew Cashner collects his third hold as he pitches an inning and a third, giving up a run on two hits and two walks, while striking out one. James Russell pitches an inning, giving up two runs on two hits, while striking out two.

The Phils had nine hits in the game, with Placido Polanco and Ben Francisco leading the team with two hits each, with Polanco’s hits being both singles, knocking in a run, while Francisco’s hits were a single and a solo home run. Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz and Greg Dobbs had the other five Phils’ hits, with Victorino’s hit being a double, Rollins and Ruiz’s hits being singles, Howard’s hit being a solo home run as he knocks in two runs, with the other run scoring on a sac fly, and Dobbs’ hit being a pinch hit home run, while the other Phil’s run came in on a throwing error. The offense never got running until it was too late to catch up with the Cubs.

The Phils (48-43, 3rd NL East) with continue their road trip with a four-game series in St. Louis against the Cardinals (51-41, 1st NL Central), starting tonight with a night game. The game will start at 7:05 pm Eastern (6:05 pm Central) and will be played at Busch Stadium. The Phils will send to the mound Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 4.44), who is coming off a relief performance against the Cubs on July 15, as he pitched an inning, giving up just one hit, in the Phils’ 12-6 lost. In his last three starts, his record is 1-1 with a no-decision, as he pitched twenty-two innings, giving up eleven runs, ten of which were earned, on twenty-one hits and two walks, while striking out twelve. He will be trying to start the series for the Phils on a positive note. The Cards will counter with Blake Hawksworth (3-5, 4.73), who is coming off a win against the Astros on July 11, as he went five and one-third inning, giving up two runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out two, in the Cardinals’ 4-2 win. In his last three starts, he has a 1-1 record with a no-decision, as he pitched sixteen and a third innings, giving up seven runs on twenty-one hits and eight walks, while striking out fourteen. He will be trying to improve his record, while trying to add to the Phils’ present problems. The Phils’ offense will be hoping that the presently hot Ryan Howard will continue to feast on his home team while they are in St. Louis, hoping it’ll help jump start the offense.

The Cubs’ closer Carlos Marmol had a melt down in the top of the ninth, allowing the Phils to come back to win the game, as the Phils defeated the Cubs, 4-1.

The game for the first six and a half innings was a pitchers’ duel between Phils’ starter Cole Hamels, who in six scoreless innings would give up six hits and two walks, while striking out six Cubbies, while Cubs’ starter Randy Wells would pitch seven shut out innings, giving up seven hits and two walks, while striking out five Phils. The Cubs would finally take the lead in the bottom of the seventh as, with a runner on third, and with one man out, Stalin Castro, who had earlier doubled, and then moved to third on pinch hitter Xavier Nady’s ground out, 6-3, would score on Ryan Theriot’s bunt single on a grounder to Hamels, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. After neither team scored in the eighth, the Cubs sent their closer, Carlos Marmol, to the mound to wrap up the game. Instead, he had a melt down on the mound. After getting out the lead-off batter, he walks pinch hitter Brian Schneider. He then walks pinch hitter Ross Gload, sending Schneider up to second. After getting Shane Victorino to strike out swinging for the inning’s second out, the just returned Placido Polanco followed by hitting an RBI single, scoring Schneider, who crossed the plate sliding head first as the Cubs’ catcher Geovany Soto is unable to hold onto the throw from the left fielder, tying the game up at one-all, while Gload would go to third on the throw, while Polanco moved up to second. One batter later, Marmol would walk his third batter of the inning, Jimmy Rollins, loading the bases, but Soto allowed ball four to get past him and go to the backstop, allowing Gload to score on the wild pitch, to give the Phils a 2-1 lead, while Polanco would move up to third, putting runners on the corners. After Rollins steals second base, Ryan Howard is intentionally walked, to load the bases. Jayson Werth then follows with the fifth walk of the inning, scoring Polanco from third, to give the Phils a 3-1 lead, while both Rollins and Howard both moved up a base. That would be it for Marmol, as he is taken out of the game and replaced by James Russell. Raul Ibanez welcome Russell by hitting an infield single to first baseman Derek Lee, as he had no one to throw to at first, scoring Rollins from third, making it a 4-1 Phils’ lead, while moving both Howard and Werth up a base. After pinch hitter Cody Ransom hits into a force out, 6-4, wiping out Ibanez to end the inning, the Phils handed the ball to their closer Brad Lidge for the save. Lidge proceeded to record his seventh save of the year, by getting Theriot to fly out to right for the game’s final out.

Cole Hamels receives a no-decision as he pitches seven innings, giving up a run on eight hits and two walks, while he strikes out six. Chad Durbin gets the win as he pitches a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk, while striking out a batter. His record is now 1-1 with a 3.13 ERA. Brad Lidge records his seventh save of the year as he pitches a scoreless inning, giving up just a walk, while striking out one. Randy Wells also receives a no-decision, as he pitches seven innings, giving up only seven hits and two walks, while striking out five. Sean Marshall records his twelfth hold, as he pitches a scoreless inning, giving up only a walk, while striking out two. Carlos Marmol blew his fourth save attempt, before taking the lost, as he pitches two-thirds of an inning, giving up four runs on one hit and five walks, while striking out a batter. His record is now 2-2 with a 2.91 ERA. James Russell pitches to just one batter, giving up a hit. Andrew Cashner pitches a third of an inning, giving out the only man that he would face.

The Phils had nine hits in the game, with Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez each leading the team with two hits apiece, with Victorino and Ibanez each having two hits, all singles, with Ibanez knocking in a run, while Werth had a single and a double, knocking in a run on a bases loaded walk. Placido Polanco, Ryan Howard and Wilson Valdez had the other three Phil’s hits, all singles, with Polanco knocking in a run, as the Phil’s other run came in on a wild pitch. The Phils’ offense is still trying to break out of its scoring and hitting slump, as they did not get a key hit until the ninth during Marmol’s melt down.

The Phillies (48-42, 2nd NL East) will conclude their four-game series with the Cubs (41-51, 4th NL Central) with a night game tonight, trying to end the series with a series split. The game will be played at Wrigley Field and will start at 8:05 pm Eastern (7:05 pm Central). The Phils will send to the mound their ace Roy Halladay (10-7, 2.19), who is coming off a nine innings no-decision against the Reds on July 10, as he gave up only five hits and a walk, while striking out nine, in the Phils’ 1-0 extra-innings win. In his last three starts, he went 1-1 with a no-decision, as he pitched twenty-six innings, giving up five runs on twenty-three hits and two walks, while striking out twenty-six batters. He will be trying to collect his eleventh win of the year, while hoping the bats will give him some real runs support. The Cubs will counter with Tom Gorzelanny (4-5, 3,16), who is coming off a win against the Dodgers on July 10, as he pitched six innings, giving up two runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits and a walk, while striking out seven, in the Cubs’ 7-3 win. In his last three starts, his record is 2-0 with a no-decision, as he pitched sixteen innings, giving up five runs, four of which were earned, on fifteen hits and ten walks, while striking out sixteen. He will be trying to even up his record. The Phils will be trying to end the four game series with a split before going on to St. Louis to meet the Cardinals for four.

The Phils’ offense continues to snooze as another good starting efoort, this time by Jamie Moyer, is wasted, as the Phils fall to the Cubs, 4-1.

The Cubs took the lead in the third as, with a runner on second, and with two men out, Starlin Castro hits an RBI single off the glove of third baseman Placido Polanco, knocking in Ryan Theriot, who had earlier singled, and then stole second, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. The Cubs would make it 2-0 in the seventh as, with a runner on second, and once again with two outs, Jeff Baker hits a sharp RBI single off the glove of Polanco, scoring Alfonso Soriano, who had earlier doubled. The Phils cut the Cubs lead in the eighth as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Ryan Howard hits an RBI ground out, 1-3, scoring Polanco, who had earlier doubled, and then went to third on Utley’s single, making it a 2-1 Cubs’ lead, while moving Utley, who had earlier singled, up to second base. The Cubs would get a pair of insurance runs in the ninth as, with the bases loaded, via a walk to Derrick Lee, Marlon Byrd being hit by the pitch, sending Lee to second, and a walk to Soriano, moving both Lee and Byrd up a base, and with two men out, pinch hitter Xavier Nady hits a two-run pinch hit single, knocking in Lee and Byrd, giving the Cubs a 4-1 lead, while sending Soriano up to second base. That would be the final score as a Phils’ rally in the bottom of the ninth goes nowhere as Carlos Marmol records his seventh save of the season by striking out Shane Victorino with two men on base.

Jamie Moyer took the lost as he pitches seven strong innings, giving up only two runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out seven. His record is now 5-3 with an ERA of 4.30. Chad Durbin pitches an inning and a third, giving up two runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batter, while striking out two. J.C. Romero pitches two-thirds of an inning, giving up a hit, while striking out two. Tom Gorzelanny gets the win as he pitches six and two-thirds scoreless innings, as he is knock out of the box by a line drive in the seventh, giving up three hits and two walks, while striking out five. His record is now 2-4 with a 3.09 ERA. John Grabow receives his six hold of the season as he pitches an inning, giving up a run on two hits, while striking out a batter. Carlos Zambrano records his third hold of the year as he pitches a third of an inning, getting out the only man he would face. Carlos Marmol records his seventh save of the year as he pitches a scoreless ninth, giving up a walk and hitting a batter, while striking out two.

The Phils had just five hits in the ballgame, a double by Placido Polanco, and singles by Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez, with Howard having the only RBI on a ground out.

The Phils (24-15, 1st East) play the Cubs (19-22, 3rd Central) in the final game of the two game set in an afternoon game, already in progress. The Phils, behind Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.49), are presently leading the Cubs, behind Ryan Dempster (2-4, 3.49), 1-0, in the top of the fifth. The Phils are trying for a series spilt.

A nine-hit complete game effort by their ace Roy Halladay is wasted as the Phils’ offense is muzzled by Pirates’ pitching as the Phils lose to the Bucos, 2-1.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second as, with a runner on second, and with two men out, Andy LaRoche hits an RBI double, knocking in Ryan Doumit, who had gotten on base earlier with a double of his own. The Phils would tie it up at one-all in the fifth as, with the bases loaded, via singles to Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, moving Howard up to second base, and a walk to Carlos Ruiz, and with one man out, Juan Castro, who is playing second base in place of the sick Chase Utley, hits an RBI single, scoring Howard, before Jayson Werth is gun down at home plate by center fielder Andrew McCutchen, 8-2, for the inning’s second out, while Ruiz moves up to third, and Castro goes to second on the throw to the plate. The Pirates then retook the lead in the sixth as, with a runner on second, and with one man out, Garrett Jones hits an RBI single, scoring Lastings Milledge, who had earlier singled, and then went to second on a McCutchen ground out, 4-3, as Milledge was running on an attempted hit and run, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead. That would be the final score as Phils’ starter Roy Halladay would not allow any more runs to score as he pitches a complete game, before Pirates’ reliever Octavio Dotel pitches a 1-2-3 ninth, recording his eighth save of the season, by getting Ruiz to fly out to left to end the ballgame.

Roy Halladay took the lost as he pitches a complete game, giving up two runs on nine hits and a walk, while striking out six. His record is now 6-2 with an ERA of 1.64. Zach Duke gets the win as he pitches six innings, giving up a run on six hits and two walks, while striking out five. His record is now 3-4 with a 5.08 ERA. Evan Meek records his third hold of the year as he pitches a scoreless inning, giving up a walk, while striking out one batter. Joel Hanrahan pitches a 1-2-3 inning, recording his eighth hold of the season, as he strikes out a batter. Octavio Dotel records his eighth save of the year as he pitches a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out a batter.

The Phils had only six hits in the game, with Ryan Howard getting three of their hits, all singles, rasing his batting average to .311. Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth and Juan Castro had the other three Phils’ hits, all singles, with Castro knocking in the lone Phil run.

The Phils (24-14, 1st East) continue their home stand with a short two-game series with the Cubs (18-22, 3rd Central). The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park and will start at 7:05 pm Eastern. The Phils will send to the mound Jamie Moyer (5-2, 4.57), who is coming off a win against the Brewers on May 14, as he went six and a third innings, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out three, in the Phils’ 9-5 win. He will be going for his fourth straight win. The Cubs will counter with Tom Gorzelanny (1-4, 3.60), who is coming off a no-decision against the Pirates on May 14, as he went five innings, giving up five runs on nine hits and four walks, while striking out seven, in the Cubs’ 10-6 lost. He will be trying for his first win on the road. The Phils will be trying to recover from yesterday’s lost, hoping to give Jamie some more runs support.

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